1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a shiftable, roller-type carpet attaching device of simple construction which allows a carpet installer to readily secure the margins of carpeting to tack stripping through a continuous, rolling movement of the device along the carpet surface. More particularly, it is concerned with such a device having an obliquely oriented, central, graspable frame together with a pair of axially spaced apart, carpet-engaging wheel sets secured to the frame and oriented for straddling respective rows of underlying tacks so as to permit ready attachment of carpeting to the tacks.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One of the final steps in the laying of carpeting is to attach the margins thereof to tack stripping, which is typically secured to the floor adjacent the baseboard of the room to be carpeted. Tack stripping normally is in the form of elongated wooden strips provided with two laterally spaced rows of upstanding, sharpened tacks. In practice, the carpet layer attempts to press the carpet margin downwardly adjacent the baseboard so as to firmly attach the carpet to the underlying, upstanding tack rows. In many cases, the carpet layer simply presses the carpeting down by hand, or may make use of crude expedients such as wooden blocks or the like. In all cases though, the goal is to firmly secure the edges of the carpeting to the tack stripping.
Prior techniques such as those described suffer from a number of defects. Thus, attempting to manually attach the carpeting to the tack stripping can be a time consuming undertaking, with indifferent results. This is particularly the case in instances where heavy, thick carpeting is being laid, because of the tendency of such carpeting to resist deformation and ready attachment to the tack stripping.
Accordingly, there is a decided need in the art for a simplified device to assist the carpet layer in securing carpeting to tack stripping in a rapid and cost effective manner.